Incident in healthcare services
-Automatic translation
Recording incidents and attitudes towards them is essential in improving safety in the healthcare service. All healthcare facilities and self-employed specialists must immediately report all serious unforeseen incidents to the Directorate of Health. The patient and their next of kin should also be informed when appropriate.
Individuals who wish to complain about healthcare services should read this.
Recording of unforeseen incidents in healthcare services
The Medical Director of Health and Public Health Act states: "Healthcare facilities, self-employed healthcare practitioners, and others who provide health services shall maintain a register of unforeseen incidents, for the purpose of finding explanations for them and
seeking ways of ensuring that they do not recur. An unforeseen incident is defined as an accident, error, negligence, or other incident which has harmed or could have harmed a patient."
Under the same Act, healthcare practitioners involved, their professional superiors, and other staff of the healthcare facility, as applicable, must record all unforeseen incidents.
In 2013, the Saga system introduced electronic incident recording, which is used by a large number of healthcare institutions. The Directorate of Health has access to this registration.
To facilitate registration for those who do not use the Saga system, the Directorate of Health has produced special forms for incident registration.
Recording of incidents - template for healthcare facilities. Only for use in a healthcare facility or at the premises of a healthcare practitioner. Not to be sent to the Directorate of Health.
What should be sent to the Directorate of Health?
Healthcare facilities, self-employed healthcare practitioners, and others who provide health services should regularly submit to the Directorate of Health a summary of all unforeseen incidents, as further determined by the Medical Director of Health.
Since the Directorate of Health has access to the incident registration in the Saga system, its users do not need to send a summary.
However, those who do not have the Saga system must submit a summary of incidents to the Directorate of Health twice a year, on 1 March and 1 September.
Summary of incidents experienced by patients/users of health services. Sent to the Directorate of Health twice a year.
Incidents response
Numerous studies have shown that the causes of incidents are usually poor organizational structure and not the fault of the individuals doing the work. One of the characteristics of good health care is effective preventive measures to prevent incidents.
It is essential to respond to incidents in an appropriate manner, to reduce the potential harm and to prevent similar incidents. The Directorate of Health has adapted and translated Icelandic guidelines on the response to incidents.
Let's promote quality and safety in Icelandic healthcare. Guidelines of the Professional Council of the Directorate of Health on patient safety. 3rd Edition 2016. (Icelandic)
Response to unforeseen incidents in healthcare. (Icelandic)
Response to the patient and relatives. (Icelandic)
Service provider
Directorate of Health